In a grassroots effort to empower and promote an inclusive environment among faculty and staff, the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) President’s Diversity Advisory Council (DAC) has introduced DAC Affinity Groups. One of the primary goals of forming such groups among faculty and staff is to link them to a common ideology and purpose.
“DAC Affinity Groups provide a space in which faculty and staff can explore experiences or topics of shared identity, reduce a sense of isolation or discomfort, and provide an environment where all feel comfortable to be themselves,” said Elsie Stines, DNP, CRNP, assistant vice president of special projects and initiatives in the President’s Office and DAC chair.
This opens up opportunity for UMB colleagues to network as well as strengthen recruitment efforts, retention, and advance forums for professional development.